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House Republicans have stooped low in their all-out war on women by turning an issue that has never been bipartisan–that violence against women is a bad thing–into a partisan one voting 222-206 in support of a ridiculous, callous and watered down version of the Violence Against Women Act. As Vanessa noted Tuesday, it was slated to be voted on Wednesday with the hope that they wouldn’t pass the watered down version the House produced–but we should only be so hopeful.

This bill denies protection of undocumented immigrants, Native/indigenous people and LGBT victims of violence. Distinguishing these populations that are actually highly vulnerable and susceptible to violence is uniquely callous. What could motivate such thinking? Well, Amanda looked through the list of lobbyists in support of this particular version of the bill and let’s just say–they are exactly the kind of people that would love to legalize violence against women.

Prior to this year, even Republicans by and large felt that tacitly endorsing moderate levels of wife-beating was a bridge too far, but since their new motto is, “Bitches: Fuck ‘Em”, I suppose this sort of thing was inevitable. Right Wing Watch has a piece up about the lobbyists who influenced this vote. These lobbyists, led by the anti-victim group Concerned Women for America, is a real cadre of hateful people. The coalition released a letter supporting the watered-down bill, and it was signed by a rather notorious wife-beater who ran for office by claiming his ex-wife endorsed him, which she did not. There’s also a group that represents men who purchase mail order brides. They’re concerned that the bill would allow women who have been secured through their services to divorce husbands who beat them without being deported. (A favorite tactic of abusers is to marry immigrants, often secured through these services, and then terrorize them with the threat of deportation if they don’t take their beatings like good girls.) These are the people that the Republicans are listening to.

Only a party desperately clinging to any semblance of relevance would allow this kind of thinking to make it this far in the legislative process. You can’t give MRA’s the light of day–they are called trolls for a reason!

Twenty-three House Republicans voted against the bill, 6 democrats voted for it and the White House has said they will veto the house version if it makes it to the President’s desk. Via.

Professor Sarah Deer is one of the newest MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellows who were announced earlier this week. She is an incredible legal scholar and community advocate for Native women’s safety and health. Sarah is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma and teaches at William Mitchell College of Law in Minnesota.

Native American women living on reservations face one of the highest per capita rates of violent crime in the world, but are often left with horribly insufficient means of justice. Tribal courts are impeded by limited jurisdictional powers and authority, and lack of resources; and as such, it is very difficult to prosecute those who commit these horrible crimes.

Professor Sarah Deer is one of the newest MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellows who were announced earlier this week. She is an incredible legal scholar and community advocate for Native women’s safety and health. Sarah is ...

“Women want less government in their lives. They want to make their own decisions. They want freedom to choose for their children, their families. That’s what women really want.”

You are so spot on, Morgan Brittany. I can’t wait to see you next weekend outside an abortion clinic, escorting patients inside so they can obtain safe, legal abortion care. Right? Wrong. So, so wrong.

You can actually turn this video into a drinking game…

Drink any time the panelists invent a nonsense word, like “sexualist.”
Drink any time the panelists reinforce gender norms (“Stop shaving, men!”) or gendered class norms (Sofia Vergara is “classy”!).
Drink any time the panelists make a concerted effort to assure everyone that they’re totally straight, we promise.
Drink any time ...

“Women want less government in their lives. They want to make their own decisions. They want freedom to choose for their children, their families. That’s what women really want.”